Wherever You Will Go
"Wherever You Will Go" is the debut single by American band The Calling. The song was released in May 2001, as the first single from their debut studio album, Camino Palmero (2001). It remains their most renowned and their most successful hit, peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping the Adult Top 40 for 23 weeks, the second longest-running number one in the chart's history, behind "Smooth" by Santana and Rob Thomas. Outside the United States, the song experienced similar success, peaking atop the music charts of Italy, New Zealand, and Poland, reaching number three in the United Kingdom, number five in Australia, and becoming a top-ten hit in several European countries.
"Wherever You Will Go" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by The Calling | ||||
from the album Camino Palmero | ||||
B-side | "Adrienne" | |||
Released | May 21, 2001 | |||
Studio | Cherokee (Hollywood, California)[1] | |||
Genre | Post-grunge[2] | |||
Length | 3:29 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Marc Tanner | |||
The Calling singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Wherever You Will Go" on YouTube |
Background and writing
Songwriter Aaron Kamin talked about the song in a radio interview. He said, "At the time my grandmother's best friend had passed away and she left behind a husband of 50 or more years and I was at the funeral and afterwards I just started thinking of what it would be like to be him and have your whole life change so dramatically and not for the best in a matter of moments. Somebody that you live and grow with and are one with, just to be gone, is crazy and I figured all he ever thinks about probably is finding a way to get back to her or be with her or make sure she’s alright or something like that. That was the sentiment behind that.."[3]
Music video
Two videos were shot for this song. The first was set in Mexico. The other version, which is more popular, was directed by Gregory Dark, and has the band performing in the concrete channel of the Los Angeles River, while a teenage soap opera plays in the foreground. A teenage girl gets her boyfriend's name tattooed on her shoulder, but when she finds him cheating with another girl, she flies into a rage, destroying most of his belongings. At the end of the video, she is seen with a new boyfriend (male model and then-fledgling actor Drew Fuller) with a flower tattoo covering the name, as her jealous ex watches her from his car. The group's lead singer, Alex Band, can also be seen in some scenes singing in the foreground of some of the storyline, such as when the girl is seen destroying the belongings.
Track listings
US 7-inch vinyl[4]
UK enhanced CD single[1]
UK and European cassette single[5]
|
European CD single[6]
European limited-edition maxi-single[7]
Australian CD single[8]
|
Personnel
Credits are adapted from the UK enhanced CD single liner notes.[1]
- Alex Band – vocals, writing
- Aaron Kamin – guitar, sitar, mandolin, loops, percussion, writing
- Matt Laug – drums, percussion
- Bob Glaub – bass
- Ron Fair – synth strings
- Satnam Ramgotra – tabla, percussion
- Paul Mirkovich – additional keys
- Marc Tanner – producing
- David Thoener, Marc Greene – recording
- Tiago Becker, Valente Torres – recording assistants
- Chris Lord-Alge – mixing
- Matt Silva – mixing assistant
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
All-time charts
Certifications
|
Charlene Soraia version
"Wherever You Will Go" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Charlene Soraia | ||||
from the album Moonchild and Love Is the Law | ||||
Released | September 30, 2011[57] | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 3:17 | |||
Label | Peacefrog | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Paul Stacey | |||
Charlene Soraia singles chronology | ||||
|
The song was covered by Charlene Soraia for use in a Twinings advert in the United Kingdom. It was released in the UK as a digital download on 30 September 2011. On 9 October 2011, the song entered the UK Singles Chart at number 20 and peaked at number three two weeks later. It is the lead single from her debut studio album, Moonchild.
Music video
A music video for the song was uploaded to YouTube on 3 October 2011 at a total length of three minutes and thirty-eight seconds. The video shows Soraia in the studio performing the song.[58]
Track listing
Digital download (released October 3, 2011)[59]
- "Wherever You Will Go" – 3:17
- "Lightyears" – 3:03
Weekly charts
Chart (2011–2014) | Peak position |
---|---|
France (SNEP)[60] | 127 |
Ireland (IRMA)[19] | 20 |
Scotland (OCC)[61] | 3 |
UK Singles (OCC)[62] | 3 |
UK Indie (OCC)[63] | 1 |
UK Streaming (Official Charts Company)[64] | 81 |
Year-end charts
Chart (2011) | Position |
---|---|
UK Singles (OCC)[65] | 51 |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI)[57] | Platinum | 600,000 |
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Release history
Region | Date | Format | Label |
---|---|---|---|
United Kingdom | 30 September 2011[66] | Digital download | Peacefrog |
In popular culture
The song was featured in the 2000 film Coyote Ugly in the scene where Violet first sees Kevin. The Calling performs the song live.[67]
In 2001, the UPN network used the song to promote the debut of Star Trek: Enterprise.[68]
The song was featured in the 2003 British comedy-drama film Love Actually during a scene in which Colin (Kris Marshall) participates in an orgy with a group of Wisconsinite girls shortly after arriving in the United States.
The song plays during the final scenes of the series finale of Saving Grace, a TNT drama that aired from 2007 to 2010.
The song plays on Smallville during the final scene of the episode Metamorphosis (01x02)
The song was parodied on Mad TV by several of the cast playing The Calling, Scott Stapp of Creed, Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, and Ray Charles, making fun of how all the singers' voices sound the same and they accuse each other of getting famous by imitating them.
This song is also featured in the popular Korean drama I'm Sorry, I Love You, starring So Ji-sub & Im Soo-jung and it's soundtrack as well.
In Strike (TV series), Series 4: "Lethal White", Episode 1, it is the song that Robin Ellicot and Matthew Cunliffe use for the first dance at their wedding reception.<ref>https://www.tunefind.com/show/strike/season-4/100628<ref>
References
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- "The Other 5 Most Popular Vampire Songs on YouTube". Vamped. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
- "Wherever You Will Go by The Calling". Songfacts. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
- Wherever You Will Go (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). The Calling. RCA Records. 2002. 07863-60553-7.CS1 maint: others (link)
- Wherever You Will Go (UK cassette single sleeve). The Calling. RCA Records. 2002. 74321947654.CS1 maint: others (link)
- Wherever You Will Go (European CD single liner notes). The Calling. RCA Records. 2002. 74321 91224-2.CS1 maint: others (link)
- Wherever You Will Go (European limited maxi-single liner notes). The Calling. RCA Records, Bertelsmann Music Group. 2002. 74321 91223-2.CS1 maint: others (link)
- Wherever You Will Go (Australian CD single liner notes). The Calling. RCA Records. 2002. 74321923392.CS1 maint: others (link)
- "Australian-charts.com – The Calling – Wherever You Will Go". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
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- "Top 50 Singles" (in Greek). IFPI. Archived from the original on December 1, 2002. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
- "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Wherever You Will Go". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
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- "Nielsen Music Control". Archived from the original on June 25, 2007.
- "Arhiva romanian top 100 Editia 34, saptamina 26.08–2.09, 2002" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on February 16, 2005. Retrieved February 16, 2005.
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- "The Calling Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
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- Charlene Soraia Wherever You Will Go – Twinings Advert Song 2011 on YouTube
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- Star Trek Enterprise Intro (OG Pilot) 0.30m on YouTube